Brownie Roll-Out Cookies / Renee Comet / USA WEEKEND

Written by

Deb Perelman

Sidedish

ShutterbugNot only did Perelman teach herself to blog and test recipes, but she’s also an amateur photographer who snapped all of the images in this debut cookbook.

The ViewsWhen Perelman started her blog in 2006, she got about 50,000 page views a month. Six years later, it’s close to 10 million. Still, she says, her life is exactly the same — plus or minus a toddler.

Cook's Note“Roll these cookies out to ¼ inch thick, and they stay really tender, just like a brownie,” says Perelman, who isn’t afraid to break out a ruler. “Roll them thinner, and they’re more like a cocoa sugar cookie.”

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It all began for Deb Perelman in a teeny Manhattan apartment. She loved to cook but found many recipes too vague or too cumbersome. So she focused on delicious simplicity. “Having a small kitchen forces me to rein in crazier ideas,” she says. “When I can’t fit everything on my counter, I know it’s too complicated.” Take these brownie-esque cookies — they’d taste great with fancy chocolate and frosting, but they don’t need either.

Whisk the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder in a bowl, and set aside. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl. Mix in vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

Roll out the cookie dough on a floured counter. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top. (It does disappear once baked, though, so don’t overly fret if they go into the oven looking white.)

Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-11 minutes (8 for 1/8-inch-thick cookies; 11 for ¼-inch cookies), until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.